Alexa Scimeca Knierim, Chris Knierim dazzle for Americans in short program

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea -- Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford made up for teammate Patrick Chan's shaky short program to give Team Canada the lead after the opening day of figure skating's team competition.

The U.S. team was second, followed closely by Japan and the Olympic Athletes of Russia.

Duhamel and Radford scored 76.57 points in their program to finish behind Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, whose season-best 80.92 points dazzled a crowd full of Russian fans. But not even that big number could make up for teammate Mikhail Kolyada's poor short program.

Nathan Chen was wobbly for the Americans, but the pairs team of Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris Knierim bailed him out with a dazzling performance set to music from "Moulin Rouge!"

The U.S. will send out siblings Maia and Alex Shibutani in the ice dance and Bradie Tennell in the women's short program when the team competition resumes Sunday at Gangneung Ice Arena.

The Americans waited until the last possible moment to announce their lineup in a bit of gamesmanship with their rival nations.

The Shibutanis were chosen over U.S. champs Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue and the team of Madison Chock and Evan Bates. Tennell got the nod over Mirai Nagasu and Karen Chen.

The top five nations after their short programs advance to the free skate later Sunday.